I’m not a natural salesman. Never have been. If I’m excited, or passionate about something, or I want to recommend something (book, music, etc.), then I can be pretty persuasive, but that’s not really salesmanship—plus, it’s limited to other people’s work. Selling my own work makes me extraordinarily uncomfortable. So being in the position of having to try and sell this show to people, to sell stores on the idea of carrying The Arg in Blarg, honestly, I hate the whole process. The thing is no one else is going to do it, and it’s my show, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. My first stab was popping into Stinkweeds this weekend (one of my favorite music haunts), and I was expecting to talk to someone who was not Kimber Lanning, but guess what? I froze for a moment. I think I pulled off my pitch, but I don’t know. We’ll see. Fingers crossed.

A couple more things for this week: First, because I know you were all curious, and waiting for the follow up on my promise to Jia Oak Baker to a bread and butter pickle and peanut butter sandwich…I did it. It’s done. I substituted almond butter for peanut, but it still counts. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever tasted, I’m still not a fan, and I still think that bread and butter pickles are an abomination. Second, the first Patreon exclusive content is going up this week. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but definitely by Friday. It’s Limited Engagement Recommends, and it’s just going to be me talking about stuff that I really love that I think other people should love, too. This could take the form of one thing, multiple things, book, music, movie, show, another podcast—who knows? It’s not really a review, because I’m only going to talk about stuff I like, and life is too short to waste time on things I either don’t enjoy or couldn’t care less about. If that sounds like something you might be interested in, then head over to our Patreon page, and contribute at the Subscriber Level, which is ten bucks a month. I’m going to do other bonus Subscriber Level only content as well, this is just the first thing.

On the show this week, I talk to Russ Kazmierczak, the writer and artist behind Amazing Arizona Comics. Russ also created and hosts Phoenix Tonight, a late night talk show, and the Stuck in Traffic podcast. The man likes to stay busy. We recorded this the weekend before Phoenix Comicon, which we were both going to, and we’re both proud nerds, so we talk a fair amount about that. Also, apologies to Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore’s hot pants. Get more info on all things Kazmierczak at the Amazing Arizona Comics website.